The news soon spread all over the Imperial City and then the whole Xin Empire. Everyone had their own thoughts towards the shocking events.

The common villagers talked about what could have the enemy country had offered to General Li so that he could sell off Xin.

The noble families who were close to General Li were not ready to say anything in fear that they would also be implicated of the betrayal to their empire.

Those who were always envious of Li Clan and Yi Clan didn’t leave any chance to fuel this burning fire by spreading some events that no one had ever heard but each incident talked of how greedy General Li has always been. Degrading General Li was equal to degrading Yi Clan as both the clans had very good relations.

All in all the whole Empire was talking about only one thing. Li and Yi Clan.

Amidst all this chaos, Li Rui currently stood outside her carriage. The carriage was stopped in front of the huge manor. Outside the manor gates were written two words ‘Li Manor’. The soldiers that had been assigned by her father to guard the gates had been removed by the Emperor’s order and now two imperial guards replaced them.

It was the place where she had spent the seventeen years of her life. But today she hesitated to step inside that same place. Each step forward to go inside the manor felt very heavy.

She knew that she can’t go inside like this. Her family needed her. It was not the time to lose her calm.

Li Rui hid her feelings behind her calm expression and finally stepped inside the Li Manor.

The old mama from the Imperial Palace checked her clothes before she was allowed to go inside.

She could not help but feel a little ironic inside her heart.

When had she thought that she would be checked like this before going inside Li Manor?

The silence inside the Manor seemed so loud that her heart skipped a beat in fear. Swallowing down her emotions, she slowly took further steps.

The maids, the servants no one could be seen anywhere. Each one of them was removed from the manor under the Imperial order.

After two minutes of roaming here and there, she finally found everyone inside the living hall. Her steps halted at the doorway when her gaze fell on the first person inside the hall.

“Mother…” A whisper escaped from Li Rui lips as she looked at her mother who seemed to be very tired. Her face looked pale white.

She had never seen her mother like this. Her mother’s lips always used to have a gentle smile on her lips.

Lifting her dress, she rushed inside the living hall to her mother and kneeled beside her without even looking at the other people.

Holding her mother’s hand in her, for a moment, she didn’t know what she should say. A moment later the words came out of her mouth but she herself was not sure of their certainty.

“Mother, don’t worry about anything. I and Elder Brother Junjie are going to find father, alright?”

Her mother looked at her but Li Rui saw that it was not a gaze full of motherly love but it was an empty look that one gives to strangers.

Before she could register anything in her mind, a loud sound echoed in the room and she fell on the floor with her face tilted sideways.

A roar ‘Rui’ that was not supposed to be heard by anyone came out of Xi Ying’s mouth. He rushed to her side and his hands went out to hold her but then he realized for the umpteenth time that he couldn’t do that.

“Elder sister…..” The young girl Li Sying, Li Rui’s third younger sister ran to her side with tears streaming down her face.

“Caihong, how dare you raise your hand on your Elder Sister?” It was Lu Qiang (Li Caihong’s Father) who said these words.

Li Rui face was still tilted sideways and she seemed to be shocked by the slap as Li Caihong’s shrieking voice fell in her ears

“Why don’t I dare, Father? I heard your and third uncle conversation. I know that it is because of her that all of us are going to die.”

The words registered in her mind and Li Rui looked at her First Uncle with a confused expression.

When Li Caihong saw this she felt more angry. All her viciousness and hatred that she had accumulated inside her heart towards Li Rui in the past years now could be seen visibly in her eyes.

“What? You still pretend to be so innocent. It is your husband and the First Princess who planned all this. The Princess Wenling who hates you enough to kill the whole Li Clan. “

Li Caihong screams echoed in the large hall as she continued

“Why did you not die rather than marrying Prime Minister Xi? You are the sole reason I’m going to die like this. How can I let you live if I die? I will kill you before I die.”

Saying this, she again charged towards Li Rui and slapped her again. But she could only do that as she was held by other people inside the room and Li Sying stood in front of Li Rui protecting her from Li Caihong.

Xi Ying’s heart was filled with anger when he saw that Li Rui was sitting still without even trying to protect herself but when he followed her gaze he understood everything.

Sitting on the floor, Li Rui turned to look at her mother who didn’t say anything and never tried to protect her. She found that her mother was already looking at her with the same eyes.

However this time Li Rui seemed to read something in those eyes and she felt like her body could no longer support herself. Li Caihong’s words and slap didn’t affect her but her mother’s eyes held the power enough to leave her powerless.

Accusation. That was what her mother’s eyes hold towards her.

Her mother also thought that she was the reason for whatever was happening.

—————

Xi Manor

In the dark night, the thundering of clouds can be heard. The rain started soon. It has been two days since the clouds had covered the sky in Imperial City but it was only tonight that they showered the Imperial City with the intense rain.

The Plum Courtyard was more silent today as Li Rui had sent Yi Ju to the borders with other shadow guards. 

Xi Ying followed Li Rui inside the Plum Courtyard who seemed to walk inside with a lost look on her face. His eyes filled with concern as he looked at her drenched back going inside the room.

The plans he had for her sisters seemed to be merciful now. Xi Ying thought

He paced anxiously outside Li Rui’s room as he tried to understand whatever had happened from morning till now. In his memory, executing the Li Clan was never something he had planned. 

He had just suggested abducting General Li and his son from the borders so that in their absence the Emperor himself could control the army and hence win the war.

Those few months would be enough for the Emperor to have the military power all to himself. And even after General Li and his son were released they would be seen as weaker than the Emperor.

That was what he had planned. Then why did His Majesty passed this order?

Remembering Li Caihong’s words, he felt worried.

Does Li Rui also think that he planned all this?

His steps halted when a faint sound fell in his ears and his whole body stilled.

With slow and heavy steps, he walked to the door of Li Rui’s room. However, the scene he saw inside the room seemed to have sucked all the power from his body.

Inside the dimly lit room, in a corner, Li Rui’s figure was curled as if a child was trying to protect herself from something.

She wiped her tears but they didn’t stop as the image of the young, weak, and timid Yi Lei, flashed in her mind. Her brother, her father, how are they?

Was she really the reason behind all this? She must be or why would her mother look at her as if she was a stranger.

It hurt too much.

Her small fist beat her chest trying to suppress the pain inside her heart.

It hurt too much.

She felt alone and afraid. For once, Li Rui really wanted someone to embrace her and tell her that everything will be alright.

Outside the room, Xi Ying’s body fell on the floor as he leaned his back against the wall of her room. His eyes were blood-red as the sobs of the woman he loves sliced his heart into pieces.

He wanted to go inside, take her in his arms and comfort her. But he couldn’t do that. He was powerless and helpless.

His hands covered his ears.

He does not want to hear that sound. He does not have the power to hear them.

But his hands didn’t stop the sound. In front of his closed eyes, Li Rui’s curled figure flashed and tears streamed down his face.

“No….”

He whispered.

If this was the punishment for whatever he had done to Li Rui then the god was too cruel. He would rather die than suffering through this pain

“Take me away from here…please.

He pleaded.

“I can’t see her like this. I will go crazy…..”

And suddenly he felt a little different. He was being pulled by an unknown force out of the Plum Courtyard. He saw himself flying away from the Xi Manor.

Only in a span of few moments, he was inside the Imperial Palace. No, he was inside the Emperor’s residence.

The sight in front of his eyes shocked him. 

He looked at the people who were using him for their own selfish reasons.

But he could only see those faces for a few minutes more as everything in front of him went black. Before losing his consciousness, Xi Ying’s red eyes coldly looked at those people and had a murderous intent in them.

—————

When he opened his eyes again, they were very red and cold.

“Rui.” A whisper escaped from his lips as he remembered that lonely figure.

He looked around and found himself inside a dark room. His body was covered with a blanket. He soon realized that was something was different

As he looked at the familiar but unfamiliar surroundings, Xi Ying heart’s was filled with new hope. His hands hold the blanket and he removed it. His eyes were full of disbelief as he looked at his hand.

That moment, Xi Ying realized that he was back inside his body.